Formula One: 2009 Grand Prix season so far

SAKHIR, Apr 23, 2009 (AFP) - Story of the Formula One season so far ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix here on Sunday:

Australian Grand Prix - March 29

In a sensational start to the season, Brawn GP took first and second in Melbourne during their maiden race after emerging from the ashes of Honda Racing, which pulled out of Formula One due to the global economic crisis.

Britain's Jenson Button won only his second GP in 154 starts, controlling the race from the outset, with veteran teammate Rubens Barrichello runner-up.

World champion Lewis Hamilton came third but was later disqualified over an incident involving Toyota's Jarno Trulli, who had been demoted from third to 12th but was subsequently reinstated. Timo Glock was fourth, Fernando Alonso finished fifth and Nico Rosberg came sixth.

Standings: Button 10pts, Barrichello 8, Trulli 6.

Malaysian Grand Prix - April 5

Sepang will be best remembered for McLaren suspending sporting director Dave Ryan and Lewis Hamilton making an emotional apology after being accused of lying over the Trulli incident in Melbourne.

On the race front, Jenson Button made it two-out-of-two, winning a Grand Prix that began at 5pm and was abandoned after 32 laps when a ferocious storm lashed the circuit and daylight faded. Half points were awarded only as the race had run less than three-quarter distance.

Nick Heidfeld in his BMW Sauber came second, Timo Glock in a Toyota was third with his teammate Jarno Trulli fourth. As in Melbourne, Ferrari failed to pick up a point for their worst start to a season since 1992.

Standings: Button 15pts, Barrichello 10, Trulli 8.5.

Chinese Grand Prix - April 19

Germany's Sebastian Vettel gave Red Bull a first victory, thriving in the torrential rain of Shanghai. The 21-year-old German came home ahead of teammate Mark Webber of Australia in a one-two finish.

The result ended the early-season domination of the new Brawn GP team as Briton Jenson Button finished third ahead of Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello with the race coming at the end of a week when the team's controversial diffuser was declared legal by the FIA.

Heikki Kovalainen and British defending world champion Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and sixth respectively in the team's first race since Ron Dennis stepped down as chief executive.

Ferrari again failed to score for the third time this season, their worst start to a racing year since 1981 with Felipe Massa retiring with mechanical problems and Kimi Raikkonen coming home in a midfield position.

Still to race:

Bahrain Grand Prix - April 26

Spanish Grand Prix - May 10

Monaco Grand Prix - May 24

Turkish Grand Prix - June 7

British Grand Prix - July 21

German Grand Prix - July 12

Hungarian Grand Prix - July 26

European Grand Prix - August 23

Belgian Grand Prix - August 30

Italian Grand Prix - Sept 13

Singapore Grand Prix - Sept 27